Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

When the Reckoning Comes by LaTanya McQueen

29 reviews

yennsciri's review against another edition

2.0

I started writing a full, long review but I felt like I just started ranting and was no longer coherent. I do not believe this book is well-written, nor do I think it does its subject a service. I don't think it's harmful per se, but it feels like a first draft and it's frustrating to read. Inconsistencies in tone, characters that are either caricatures or barely fleshed out at all, a romantic subplot that just pissed me off in how meaningless it felt, and horrible pacing all made this book infuriating. 

What's worse is there are moments where I see good shine through. Specifically, whenever we are not following Mira. But when we're with her (which is 90% of the book), this book feels like very little. I'm disappointed :( I thought this would be so much more than it is.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, and Slavery

Moderate: Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

sarahreadssometimes's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

 When the Reckoning Comes is a brutally honest book that looks at the US’s history with slavery and does a great job paralleling it to the systemic racism that African Americans face in modern times. The book can be hard to read at times, but it is meant to be that way. The scenes are supposed to leave you shocked and devastated, so I think that aspect was really well handled. I also think that the evolution the main character went through in the book was interesting and well-developed. The back half of the book had a dark, eery atmosphere that I enjoyed, and it had a few twists and turns that surprised me. Overall, I think it was a really great thematic book, but I think the pacing and tone throughout was a bit off. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Cannibalism, and Murder

libraryoflanelle's review

3.0

Quick casual review ahead:

This book was very mid and honestly a little forgettable. I had a fun enough time listening and was definitely hooked enough to want to find out what happened. However, I felt like the themes around enslavement and white supremacy could have been explored in a lot more depth. I simultaneously felt that I could have enjoyed the storyline significantly more in a short story form as there were many aspects of the overarching plot that were predictable and drawn out.

Overall I had a fun enough time but was very much left wanting more! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Murder, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Confinement, Genocide, and Pedophilia

Minor: Sexual assault and Sexual violence

lindseyhall44's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Slavery, Suicide, Blood, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

calatheacat's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Gun violence

toofondofbooks_'s review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

This book is short but it packed a huge gut punch for me. I couldn't read it at night because I would get too upset and overwhelmed by the detail and sheer horror of everything that was happening, but I still really liked it. The writing was immersive and gorgeous, made even better by listening to the audiobook while I read along physically. I usually hate romantic subplots in thrillers and horror, but I honestly thought that the one happening here was believable and I was rooting for it. The only thing that gives me pause is that I wanted a little more from this ending and there are some things that I would like clarification on re: the supernatural element. In some ways, I totally get why it ended the way it did and why I won't get that clarification, but it would still be nice to have it not end so abruptly and to have some answers. Overall, this was a good one. Authors using horror to address real life issues are one of my favorite types of authors to read so I will definitely look out for more from this author.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Blood, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Child death, Police brutality, and Alcohol

brookey8888's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This isn’t horror like scary ghost and slashers. It’s the horror of history and men. 

The start of this was kind of boring I’m not going to lie because nothing really happened. But the last like 20% had my jaw on the floor multiple times and not because it’s necessarily shocking, but because it was so disturbing and anger inducing. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Gore, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

sonmarselfee's review

dark emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Death, Murder, and Classism

thecriticalreader's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Context: 

I borrowed When the Reckoning Comes by LaTanya McQueen from my library through the Libby App.

 

Review:

When the Reckoning Comes is a straightforward and well-executed novel that emphasizes the horrors of American slavery and racism and the importance of confronting the past. The book’s strength lies in its ability to balance the horror and plot elements with the relationships between its characters, Mira, Jesse, and Celine. Without this grounding in the characters and the relationships, When the Reckoning Comes might have been rather generic. The complex dynamics between these childhood friends lend the story its stakes and authenticity, which blend seamlessly with the novel’s commentary on modern racism and the malicious glorification of America’s monstrous history. 

 

I found myself engaged with the novel throughout, and I am especially impressed with McQueen’s ability to mess with the reader’s sense of time. My only qualm with the book is that it ends too soon. I would have liked another couple of chapters for the main characters to work through their experiences and their relationships with one another; as it stands, McQueen somewhat neglects the fascinating interplay between Mira, Jesse, and Celine in favor of a more traditional horror ending.

In particular, I was disappointed that Celine got killed off in service of the plot. I would have liked to have seen a final confrontation between the three as they grapple with the role race, circumstance, and outlook shaped the course of their friendship. 
 

The Run-Down: 

You will probably like When the Reckoning Comes if . . . 

·      You are looking for a solid horror book about race, slavery, and how history haunts the present

·      You want to read a book that asks questions about how we choose to remember history, especially when it comes to Southern plantations

 

You might not like When the Reckoning Comes if . . . 

·      You are hoping for a story that takes risks with its plot and premise

·      You want a book that maintains an even level of character development 

·      You want a smart, strong-willed protagonist

 

A Similar Book: 

Kindred by Octavia Butler (a spectacular book and a must-read, if you haven’t already) Similarities include:

·      A Black female main character who finds herself confronting the horrors of slavery on a Southern plantation

·      Commentary on how America’s past infects its present

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, and Classism

Minor: Alcoholism and Child abuse

carax561's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Slavery, and Cultural appropriation

Moderate: Death, Gore, Torture, and Murder

Minor: Child abuse, Confinement, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence